Stinky
by lilpurplebird
Summary: A Trainer learns the values of life through the least-likely of events. First-person POV


Here's the result of a writing challenge for the Fan Fiction Club on Serebii I wrote in an hour's time about a couple of months ago (yeah, it took me just now to bring myself to post it up). The prompt was as follows:

**You are a trainer (who is taking a Nuzlocke Challenge) and you have just lost one of your most beloved Pokemon. How do you feel? What do you do?**

Came up with this little prompt while playing my SoulSilver, so I don't think it's too great (though a few people who commented on it on Serebii said it was good). Even then, the whole time I was thinking to myself, "I'm such a horrible person." So... I guess this is a subversion or something. Yeah...

Enjoy...?

* * *

I was running out of Pokémon to use. I was slowly forfeiting the battle each time I recalled them back out of fear they'd bleed to death. The trainer who challenged me was having issues himself, but he had saved his best for last. I made a reminder to myself to never underestimate a Rattata again.

"Give up yet?" he taunted me, poking his thumb underneath the cap's strap. His Pokémon's fur bristled in intimidation.

I flashed a minimized Lure Ball. "I still have one left." I pressed the button, and the ball split open to release its captive.

_Blurp._

My ragged Pokémon just lay there on its side, almost to remind me of how stupid I was for carrying it around and to release it when no water was around. It stared bug-eyed at us, its mouth opening and closing in rhythm with its gills.

The boy tilted his head. "A... Feebas?"

I just shrugged indifferently. I was ready to accept defeat by this time. "Yup."

My opponent and his Rattata glanced at one another until he pointed at my unmoving fish. "Okay... Rattata, tackle it!"

"Oh... uh..."

My mind went blank. I had no idea what attacks a Feebas had. It was pretty much like a Magikarp, only more pathetic looking. At least a Magikarp would evolve into something cool. Being unfamiliar with Hoenn Pokémon, I didn't know if a Feebas evolved or not. I had fished it up at random while I was visiting my aunt who lived in Hoenn outside of Fortree City. The capture was by pure accident, as one of my Lure Balls fell into the river and drifted over to lightly tap its side while it was still caught on the line. In disbelief, I begrudgingly gave it a nickname.

Stinky.

Pathetic story, I know, but it's the reason why I was embarrassed for this thing. I never even told my parents about it. I only kept it around because I was too lazy to send it to Professor Elm. He would probably find a purpose with it.

Returning to the present, I went ahead to shout out something random, not wanting to look more like a fool. "Stinky, try tackling it as well!"

To my utmost surprise, my Pokémon got a determined look on its face, and began flopping on its side against the gravel to propel itself at the approaching rat. I managed to see the opposing Pokémon's eyes widen before it got smacked in the face with Stinky's body, forcing it to stumble. The kid's jaw dropped, as did mine.

Slapping myself out of it, I puffed out my chest. "Okay! Stinky, tackle it again!"

The tattered-looking fish let out a gravelly, gasping sound that sounded like a battle cry before it leapt for the Rattata again.

"Catch it in your mouth and bite it, Rattata!" the trainer ordered once his shock wore off.

The rodent chittered, and scampered for my Feebas. Stinky launched at it again, but the opponent side-stepped, then whipped its head around to clamp its fangs onto its side. The fish started to struggle, albeit weakly, attempting to escape. The Rattata shook it around rapidly like how a Growlithe would shake around a piece of meat. I didn't think Stinky had any special move up its... sleeve-fin, so my shoulders slumped in defeat. It was over.

"I forfeit."

So I wanted to say.

All of a sudden, there was a squelch, and with a gasp, Stinky went limp. The kid's Pokémon stopped flailing it around and just sat there with it in its mouth. Soon it looked like it started to gag, so it let it drop to the ground and looked up at its trainer. We just stood there staring, waiting for it to move.

Minutes passed, and not once did I see a twitch.

I held up the Lure Ball. "Stinky, return."

Nothing happened.

The boy nervously scratched his head as he returned his Pokémon. "Ooh... sorry about your Feebas," he apologized. "I didn't think it would go that far."

I shrugged, letting out a sigh of no importance. "It's okay. I didn't do anything with it anyway. I just kept it around because I was too lazy to give it to Professor Elm."

"You know you can't find these in Johto or Kanto."

"I know. I found it outside of Fortree when I was visiting my aunt."

He chewed on his lip. "You know... I read somewhere that Feebas, as pitiful as they look, actually evolve into a really good Pokémon."

My ears perked up, and my heart started to sink. "Wh... wha?"

"Yeah. It's kinda like a Magikarp. Magikarp evolve into wicked-cool Gyarados. These evolve into one of the most beautiful Pokémon in the world. A lot of Coordinators look long and hard to find a Feebas so they could evolve it."

I barely heard what the kid was saying. I could only stare in horror at the unmoving body of my Feebas... my Stinky. My legs slowly walked me over to where it lay before my knees gave out. With shaky hands, I gently scooping it into my hold. Lips quivering, and tears flowing, I then lifted my head to the sky.

"WHAT HAVE I _DO-O-O-O-ONE?!_"

My echoes disturbed many-a Pidgey, but I didn't care. I just continued to scream out nonsense in mourning and apologies to my poor Stinky. I wish I had known earlier, then I wouldn't have been so disgusted with it, and hid it from the world. I had neglected it so much. I should be struck down for my incompetence.

I cried out again through my sobs. "STINKY-Y-Y-Y!"

"You know, you can always catch yourself another one."

I stared at the confused trainer before me. The river outside of Fortree City then came to mind.

"...oh yeah."

Drying off my tear-streaked face, I stood up with Stinky in my arms, paid the kid his reward, and stepped off into the sunset.

_Your death won't be in vain, Stinky. I promise you._

* * *

I was unable to find another Feebas to catch. It was as though they suddenly migrated away to an unknown river. I had gotten so frustrated for having wasted so much sleep and time on my part, I just gave up and went around looking for someone to trade with. As luck would have it, I was able to run into a little boy who was giving away his Feebas for a simple Geodude. So I caught one just for the trade, and walked away with a chuckle. Such a stupid kid, I thought, he had no idea what he was missing.

It wasn't Stinky, but it'll have to do.


End file.
